Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'laundry'

English Word: laundry

Key Russian Translations:

• стирка [ˈstʲirkə] - [Informal, Everyday use for the process of washing clothes]
• прачечная [prɐˈt͡ɕet͡ɕnəjə] - [Formal, Refers to a laundry service or facility]

Frequency: Medium (Common in daily conversations and household contexts in Russian-speaking regions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic noun declensions and everyday vocabulary; стирка is simpler, while прачечная may involve more complex pronunciation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

стирка: [ˈstʲirkə]

Note on стирка: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'р' is rolled, which can be challenging for beginners. A soft 'т' sound is common in casual speech.

Audio: []

прачечная: [prɐˈt͡ɕet͡ɕnəjə]

Note on прачечная: Stress on the third syllable; the 'ч' is a soft palatal fricative, similar to 'ch' in 'church', and the word often varies slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The process of washing clothes

Translation(s) & Context:

• стирка - Used in informal, domestic settings to describe the act of washing clothes, such as in homes or daily routines.

Usage Examples:

• Я делаю стирку по выходным, чтобы сэкономить время. (Ya delayu stirku po vykhodnym, chtoby sэкономitʹ vryemya.)

  I do the laundry on weekends to save time.

• Её стирка всегда включает отбеливатель для белых вещей. (Yeyo stirka vsegda vklyuchayet otbelivatelʹ dlya belykh veshchey.)

  Her laundry always includes bleach for white items.

• В жаркую погоду стирка сохнет на улице. (V zharuyu pogodu stirka sokhnet na ulitse.)

  In hot weather, the laundry dries outside.

• Автоматическая стирка в машине упрощает жизнь. (Avtomaticheskaya stirka v mashine uproshchayet zhiznʹ.)

  Automatic laundry in the machine simplifies life.

A facility or service for washing clothes

Translation(s) & Context:

• прачечная - Used in formal or commercial contexts, such as laundromats, hotels, or public services.

Usage Examples:

• В отеле есть прачечная для гостей. (V otelye yestʹ prachechnaya dlya gostey.)

  The hotel has a laundry for guests.

• Я отнесу одежду в прачечную, чтобы её почистили. (Ya otnyosu odezhdu v prachechnuyu, chtoby yeyo pochistili.)

  I'll take the clothes to the laundry to have them cleaned.

• Прачечная работает круглосуточно в этом районе. (Prachechnaya rabotayet kruglosutochno v etom rayone.)

  The laundry operates 24/7 in this area.

• Современная прачечная оснащена экологичными средствами. (Sovremennaya prachechnaya osnashchena ekologicchnymi sredstvami.)

  The modern laundry is equipped with eco-friendly detergents.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns. "стирка" is a feminine noun (first declension), and "прачечная" is also feminine (first declension). Russian nouns change based on case, number, and gender.

These follow regular first-declension patterns, with no irregularities. For example, in a sentence: "Я иду в прачечную" (I am going to the laundry).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • стирка: чистка (chistka) - More general for cleaning, but less specific to washing clothes.
  • прачечная: химчистка (khimchistka) - For dry cleaning services, often used interchangeably in professional contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • стирка: загрязнение (zagryazneniye) - Refers to soiling or dirtying clothes.
  • прачечная: свалка (svalka) - Informal antonym implying a dump or messy place, contrasting with a clean facility.

Related Phrases:

• Автоматическая стирка - Automatic laundry; a phrase for machine-based washing in modern households.
• Ручная стирка - Hand laundry; refers to washing by hand, often for delicate items.
• Прачечная самообслуживания - Self-service laundry; common for coin-operated laundromats.

Usage Notes:

"Laundry" in English can be both a process and a place, which aligns with "стирка" and "прачечная" in Russian. Choose "стирка" for informal, home-based contexts and "прачечная" for formal or commercial settings. Be mindful of gender agreement in sentences, as both are feminine nouns (e.g., "эта стирка" means "this laundry"). In Russian, laundry-related discussions often emphasize efficiency due to cultural norms around household chores.

Common Errors:

• English speakers might confuse "стирка" with "стир" (a brand or unrelated term), leading to incorrect usage. Correct: Use "стирка" for washing; Error example: Saying "Я делаю стир" instead of "стирка". Explanation: Always include the full noun for clarity.

• Mixing cases incorrectly, e.g., using nominative "стирка" in a genitive context like "Я купил мыло для стирка" (wrong) instead of "стирки". Correct: "Я купил мыло для стирки". Explanation: Russian requires proper declension to indicate relationships in a sentence.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, laundry (especially "стирка") is often associated with traditional gender roles, where it might be seen as a domestic task for women, though modern attitudes are shifting. Public "прачечная" facilities are common in urban areas like Moscow, reflecting communal living in Soviet-era housing, which emphasizes practicality over individualism.

Related Concepts:

• уборка (uborka) - General cleaning
• глажка (glazhka) - Ironing
• химчистка (khimchistka) - Dry cleaning